Intimates
by TwoTruePairing
Summary: When a caravan raid turns up Djaq's betrothed from the Holy land, and in the fray her would-be husband is determined to claim his old bride, the gang must find a way to rescue one of their own from the watchful eye of the sheriff. Will&Djaq, Robin
1. Chapter 1

**Intimates  
(Otherwise known as Hallwayporn!)  
Author: twotruepairing  
Rating: T (for some lewd behavior in later chapters)  
Why? Because we wrock out loud….**

**We decided to write this story because we (Midget in High Heels and Matriaya) adore both Robin/Marian and Will/Djaq. We own nothing.**

_Intimate; 1) very private; closely personal; 2) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the inmost or essential nature; 3) engaged in or characterized by sexual relations_

o0O0o

"Master!" Much's frantic voice echoed all the way down the canyon to the camp. "There is a caravan coming down the North Road! Master!"

Robin opened one eye, looked over at the rest of his gang, who were all in various states of unconsciousness, then closed it again. It had been three days since any of them had gotten a decent night's sleep. Even when they slept in shifts, it was usually interrupted by various wagons that needed robbing, or problems to be solved. As a result, they were all dead tired.

"Master!" As Much reached the camp, he went directly to Robin and proceeded to shake him rather violently awake. "Did you hear me? There is a…"

Robin swatted away his companion's hand and refused to open his eyes.

"A caravan. I know. I heard you the first five times."

Though he didn't look up, he could picture the eager expectancy on Much's face. Robin hid a smile, and lazily asked, "Can we just let it go? Just this once?"

Much began to sputter. Behind him John let out a little snort of amusement. Djaq simply rolled over and pulled her blanket tighter up to her chin. Will, who was the most awake of any of the horizontal people, turned his head to stare in half-interest at Much for a moment, but quickly returned his attention to the mini masterpiece he was carving into one of the beams above his head.

"I think it is Saracen!" Much sputtered out loudly.

The whole camp was awake in an instant.

Robin quite literally jumped out of his bunk, grabbing his bow while simultaneously slipping into his shoes. Djaq looked the most alert, however. She was the first one up the hill.

"Djaq!" Robin called out. "Wait!"

Much was surprised when she reached the peak and stopped. Clearly, she wasn't happy about halting and she began to pace the ridge line. Her fingers tapped out an impatient rhythm along her bow. Will struggled into his boots, and Much fussed with the strings on his coat.

"Oh hurry up!" Djaq shouted, and everyone ground to a halt. They all stared up at her, wide-eyed and shocked. She'd been short tempered and snappy in the past, but never had she burst out at them like that. She stared them down for a heavy second, then let out a furious scream and stormed down the opposite side, disappearing from sight.

Will stood up and immediately took off after her, his usual look of deep concern embedded into the lines of his face. Robin stared after him for a moment, then slowed his actions and silently gestured the other two to do the same. If anyone could crack the thick shell that surrounded their Saracen companion, it would be Will.

o0O0o

"Djaq!" Will called out her name as his heavy boots crunched through the leaves that littered the ground. "Djaq…" Clumsily he tripped over a root and nearly stumbled, catching himself at the last minute on a nearby tree. "Would you slow down?"

Djaq finally did, after Will's second plea. When she whipped around to face him, it was clear that annoyance held a heavy grip on her eyes. As Will finally caught up, she immediately turned on her heel and continued her quickened pace.

"You can't just take off like that!" he wheezed out, barely able to keep up with her. When she was in the mood to move, she could outrun even Robin. She refused to answer him, or even look at him really, but kept her eyes straight forward as she plunged further towards the North Road. Only a little further now…

"Djaq." His voice was low this time, a bare whisper that she'd come to learn meant profound concern. He stopped running, leaning against a tree to catch his breath, which exited his lungs in a rasping wheeze. She grew more and more furious with him as the seconds dripped by. She had to get to the road! Had to see who was coming! If it was indeed a Saracen, as Much had exclaimed, then it could be someone she knew! It could be…a friend…or family….

"What's going on?" He looked at her with such intensity, chest heaving, that she wanted so much in that moment to either punch him in the face or kiss him on the mouth. Perhaps even both. Both choices caught her unaware, and but she wouldn't allow herself to process them. Not then, not with so anticipation driving her body forward toward the oncoming caravan.

"It is Saracen, Will." She implored him, "A caravan from my home. I have gone so long without seeing someone from home." Then she added in a sad whisper, "Someone like me."

She feared the words of condolence that would spill from his lips at any moment, his awkward attempts at sympathy. Instead, he stood and stared for a very long moment, and then nodded.

"Right," he said. "Let's go catch that caravan." He whistled to signal the rest of the gang.

She couldn't help but grin as she followed behind him.

o0O0o

The gang gathered together at the turn in the road, the sight of so many other ambushes before. They were silent and waiting. They could hear the creaking of wagon wheels and the heavy step of horses. Finally it drew into their line of vision.

The caravan was made of dark wood, beautifully made by a skilled carpenter and commissioned by someone of obvious wealth. The horses were beautiful, certainly pure-bred. The flag was definitely a Turk one, but as only Robin, Much, and Djaq had only been there, the others didn't recognize it. It was also unescorted by the Sheriff's guards.

A flash of recognition darted across Djaq's small features, and she drew back slightly. Robin and Will both noticed this.

"What is it, Djaq?" Robin asked.

"Is-haq…" she trailed off, breathlessly. Red tinted her face, she looked as if she might cry. "What is he doing here?"

Little John and Much had already stopped the caravan. Robin made his way down to them.

"Someone you… knew?" Will asked.

Djaq nodded. "He probably will not recognize me." She looked into Will's eyes, he returned her steady gaze. "Let's go."

Down at the road, Robin bowed respectively, yet it tasted slightly of mockery. "Welcome, my Saracen friends, to Sherwood Forest. I am Robin Hood, and these are my men. We mean you know harm, and ask only your purpose and 10 percent of what valuables you carry.

A man, older than Robin, emerged. He was tall, but very thin, with dark hair in waves to his shoulders. Djaq stiffened slightly, and averted her eyes. Will noticed and moved slightly in front of her.

"What is the meaning of this?" the man asked. "Get out of my way."

"I'm afraid you must meet our demands first." Robin motioned to the gang. They took their places around the caravan. Djaq was unable to keep her eyes away from the Saracen man.

He looked around, weighing his options. Then his eyes met hers.

"Safiyah?"

Djaq didn't know what to do. Tears smarted behind her eyes, the rest of the outlaws looked at her, aghast.

"Is-haq. It's Djaq now," she said in English. She knew Robin and Much could speak a little Arabic, but this was hardly a conversation that happened every day.

"But they told me you were dead. They told me everyone was dead." He jumped down disbelief evident in his voice. He followed her lead and spoke in English too.

"Safiyah is dead. I am Djaq now."

He approached her, and gripped her arm. "No Safiyah. You are alive. And though you flout the practices of our religion," his eyes traveled over her bare head and the clothes hugging her body, "you are still promised to me."

"That's where you're wrong, my friend," said Robin, "You see, no one belongs-"

Will cut him off, "She stays here. With us." His eyes sought Djaq's. She flushed, embarrassed by her status as a Muslim woman. One that was also engaged.

Djaq took a deep breath, and said, "This is Is-haq. I was engaged to him once." She wrenched herself free of his grasp. "But no longer."

He laughed, long and low. "Though the sheriff did not provide me soldiers, do you really think I do not have the means to take you if I wanted to?"

Djaq's eyes flashed, "You were expecting to find me here?"

"No, but I have business here. You know I never traveled unarmed. Unless you've forgotten everything about your life. Stupid woman."

Djaq snapped, the rest of the gang right behind her. They immediately drew their weapons, Is-haq called his body guards.

The gang fought and parried, but during the fray Is-haq proved to be too much for Djaq. He overcame her, threw her onto the wagon and called down his men as he left. As he drove past Robin and the others, he tossed a few coins onto the road, calling behind him, "Your payment, Robin Hood!"

o0O0o

When Djaq regained consciousness, she found herself staring at the dull grey stone of Nottingham castle. Surprisingly, she was warmer than she had been in months, folded beneath sheets of silk and blankets of wool. The air smelled of the spices of her home, and before she realized what was happened, tears stung at the corners of her eyes.

"I'm glad you're awake." A soft female voice spoke in hushed tones somewhere to her right. At the sound of another presence, Djaq sprang into full awareness and shot straight up in bed. Immediately, her head screamed at her for it as pain shot down from where she'd been knocked on the head and seemed to wrap around her spinal chord. As the pain passed, her gaze focused on Marian's beautiful face

"Marian…" Djaq leaned one arm back on the bed and pressed the other against her temple. She was disturbed to find her words came out slightly slurred. "What happened?"

"You are in the castle as Is-haq's personal guest. Do not worry, the Sheriff cannot harm you without fear of offending him," Marian touched her friend's shoulder gently, urging her back onto the pillows once more. Djaq struggled a moment, but succumbed to the throbbing pain in her skull and sank back into the overly fluffy pillows.

"Is-haq…" she murmured out, and the cold reality of the previous happenings crashed down in on her. Is-haq was here. In England. And he recognized her despite her lack of hair and boyish clothes. A spike of dread stabbed her right through the stomach. Marian caught on to her friend's distress.

"Do not worry, Djaq," she attempted a smile. "I am sure Robin and the boys are devising a plan to get you out of here as we speak."

Despite Marian's good intentions, her words did very little to calm the Saracen woman. She briefly shut her eyes and used the moment to take in her surroundings. Her body was now clothed in silk instead of the usual rough garments she wore while traversing the woods. She shuddered to think it was Is-haq who put her in the new garb, but she knew he would never bother himself with such trivial matters. One of the many servants who had remained hidden in the caravan during the fight, who she hadn't seen but probably knew, had changed her.

"I have to get out of here." Djaq murmured, then tried to sit up again. "I have to…"

Again, a wave of pain and nausea smashed into her, slowing her movements. Marian's motherly instincts kicked in again.

"You are in no state to make an escape, you know," she said, brushing back a lock of hair from Djaq's forehead. "I have told Is-haq that you can't receive company right now, so he will not be bothering you, at least not for a day or so. That should give the boys plenty of time to figure something out."

Djaq gave her a grateful smile, then let her eyelids flutter shut as she succumbed to the

sleep that once again beckoned her.

o0O0o

_post a/n - remember campers... reviews love and cookies w/ frosting!!_


	2. Chapter 2

o0O0o

Night fell rapidly on the camp. Despite the general anxiety everyone held for Djaq, Robin was glad they'd acquired their money. He stored it safely with the rest of the growing stash, and knew he would sleep a little better with the knowledge that they could feed mouths with that money.

"Her fiancé." Much repeated for the twelfth time.

"Yes, Much, Djaq's fiancé." Robin took the pan of sizzling meat off the fire since Much was so distracted.

"But Djaq…"

"Is a girl. She had a life back in the Holy Land, and it's only natural that it included a fiancé."

"But she doesn't love him." Will spoke softly from the corner of the camp. Something about the deadly quiet of his tone made everyone stop their nervous fidgeting and stare at him. An awkward silence took the place of the annoyance that usually followed whenever Much said something. None of them really allowed themselves to think of Djaq as a girl. To them, she was one of the gang, another man raising his stick up to the sky in defiance of the sour ways of Nottingham and the Sheriff.

Except for the one time they saw her in a dress in the castle, she remained sexless in their minds. Most of their minds…

"We can't just sit here and do nothing!" Will growled as he shoved himself off the barrel he was sitting on. "He could be…." His steps faltered as a look of horror flashed briefly over his features. "She could be in danger."

Robin crossed over to his friend and placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Djaq is strong. She can handle herself. And Marian is doing her best to keep her safe."

Still, the look of anger on Will's face wouldn't lessen.

"We need to go! Now! Before he…" Again, he couldn't bring himself to speak the words he so desperately feared. He knew the cruel power a man held over a woman, and what happened when he exploited that power. Not his father, of course. Never his father. Will had spent many a night outside wandering around the village when he was meant to be asleep, however, and he heard the foul midnight occurrences. He'd been powerless to stop them before, and it tore him up inside to think of Djaq in such a position knowing he was trapped here, waiting for Robin's signal to act.

"Patience, Will." Robin knew how much his friend did not want to hear those words, but he spoke them, looking deeply into Will's eyes. In them, he saw fear, anger, hatred, and something else entirely boiling together in a pot of brown. "We _will_ get her back."

He said nothing, but nodded. Robin hadn't let them down yet, and though Will knew how much was at stake, he trusted his leader. He had to. Without someone to hold him back, he would go charging into the castle with his axe as his only means of defense, and surely get himself killed. It would be worth it, though, if he could sink his axe into the face of that Saracen bastard.

Much began dishing up dinner. They would eat, then they would plan. When the sun fully set, they would strike.

o0O0o

Robin stirred the coals of the fire with a large branch that Much dubbed the "poking stick." The camp was quiet, though he knew that Will was not asleep. It was then he heard his lover's call, a whistle in the night, one that could be mistaken for a pigeon's call. He smiled at the memory of Lardner's ring, and the one he put on her finger later.

There was the whistle again. Will rolled out of his bunk, willing to stand watch while Robin spoke with Marian.

"Marain, what are you doing out here?" he asked, upon reaching the tree she liked to sit in.

"Well, that's a fine hello for your fiancé," she said, turning her ring over in her hand.

"Better concern than the scorn Is-haq showed for Djaq earlier." Robin kissed her gently. "How is she?"

"Sorry I was not able to get away earlier. She is suffering a concussion, but she can remember everything, so we're taking that as a good sign." She scooted up a bit as he settled on the branch next to her.

"Good. I will be sure to tell the others. What about Is-haq? Have you discovered what business he has with the sheriff?"

"Well, he was not keen on having me in the room, at any time, so most of this is gathered snippets."

"Marian, have you been listening at key-holes?" Robin asked, feigning shock, but his eyes crinkled in amusement.

"Very droll, Robin of Locksley. And Guy did tell me some things." She smirked as he glowered at Gisbourne's name. "Anyway, I believe he is a weapons dealer in the Holy Lands. He was quite wealthy before the Crusades, but his investment in this has really paid off. The Sheriff wants to invest in his endeavor, in order to increase his own wealth. At any rate, it certainly will not help bring peace any closer."

"And an arms dealer would hardly like to see the end of a conflict. Does Djaq know he was dabbling in the weapons trade?"

"No, I do not think she knew much about Is-haq. I believe it was an arranged marriage. She seems terrified at the very thought of him being on the same continent as her. I cannot say I blame her. At least people here treat her like a person. And Will treats her as if she's God's gift to the world."

"Will?"

She laughed. "Robin, you are hopeless. You can see through the sheriff's fiendish plots, but not what is right in front of you?"

"Well that explains why I nearly had to tie Will to a tree to keep him from going after her. But I though she liked Allan?"

"She liked them both, until Allan betrayed us all. She is still hurting from that, but she and Will have found comfort in each other."

"How do you know this? You are hardly ever here!"

She smiled in the starlight, "It is enough. One woman who has known love can always recognize another."

Robin couldn't help it. He kissed her.

o0O0o

The autumn day dawned bright and cool. Djaq woke to Marian entering her room.

"Good morning, Djaq. How are you feeling today?"

"Better." She sat up. No nausea overcame her, and the pain had lessened considerably. "Help me escape."

Marian sat on the bed next to her. "Robin has a plan. Unfortunately, you will have to remain here in order for it to work."

Djaq nodded, agreeing. "What is the plan?"

"They are going to infiltrate the castle and take Is-haq. Apparently, he has been in the weapons trade over the past few years and has increased his fortune. And now the Sheriff wishes to do the same."

"He has grown richer? How is that even possible? He had more money than Allah himself!"

"Really?"

"Yes. That is how he could afford so many wives. I would have been his third."

Marian looked at her, confused. Djaq explained, "A man can have as many wives as he chooses to have, as long as he can support them financially." She got up, and found the veils that were left for her use. Picking them up, she went to the mirror and began wrapping them around her hair and face with practiced motions. "What does Robin need me to do here?"

Marian shook herself to bring her back. Djaq's frank comments had shook her and made her appreciate what freedoms she had here, and why Djaq left. "Mostly just to play Is-haq's game, use your feminine charms."

Djaq's eyes sought hers from beneath the veils. "You realize I won't even be allowed to speak in public?"

Marian smiled. "Use your body language, then."

o0O0o

Will was primed for a fight. He'd hardly done anything productive all day, pacing back and forth until Much complained that he was wearing a hole in the dirt floor. To relieve the anxiety that was tensing up his muscles, he sharpened and re-sharpened his axe until the lightest slide of finger over steel would draw blood. He moved onto everyone else's swords and was about to start on whittling a new batch of arrows out of scrap wood when Robin finally made the sign to get ready.

"Do we actually have a plan this time, Master?" Much asked as he saddled up their horses. "Or are we just going to charge in there, arrows firing, and hope we don't hit Djaq?"

Robin rolled his eyes at his friend, and shook his head.

"Of course we have a plan, Much. Snatching Is-haq is our plan. Marian has already informed Djaq of what we're doing. She is going to be the distraction."

"_She's_ going to be the distraction? I don't know if I like the sound of this." Much grumbled.

"It's Djaq. She'll be fine." Robin assured him. Still, he too had seen the look of fear in her eyes when she saw her Saracen acquaintance. It was an entirely different side to her, one he didn't know how to predict. He'd seen her in the heat of battle, though, and felt confident she would hold up her end of the bargain.

"We go." Little John put a large hand on Robin's shoulder. "Now." Then he gestured over to where Will was still pacing, flipping his axe around and around in his hand. Robin nodded.

"We go." He said, and hopped up onto his horse. Will shot forward like a caged animal finally freed, springing onto his horse and kicked it into motion. Much grumbled about being left behind once again and scrambled up onto his horse to ride off after everyone else.

The castle was dark, save for the torches in the hallway that lead to the Great Hall. The Sheriff was holding his dinner for Is-haq that evening, which meant all the niceties were being presented. If they were lucky, Robin thought they may be able to partake of a few on their way out. The four of them moved silently through the stone hallway, keeping a keen eye out for guards. So far, none of them took notice, but their luck could run out in a blink, and Robin didn't want to be in the castle when it did. He kept a steady eye out for Marian as well, but knew she would be in the Great Hall, observing the feast as a cover, and keeping an eye on Djaq while she pretended to mingle. He could safely say he knew exactly what Will was going through right then, though he wouldn't admit anything to the boy.

The noise grew louder and the smells richer as they moved closer to the great hall. The door was within sight, and a great tumble of colors spilled out at their eyes. Nottingham's normally drab castle had been transformed into an exotic paradise. Brightly colored silks hung from the ceiling. Foods that Robin had only seen in the Holy Land adorned the tables on the Sheriff's finest silver trays. Clearly, this was a man the Sheriff was trying to impress. He could see Marian then, chatting amiably with one of the other women. Across the room, he spotted Guy eyeing her with a possessive glint that made him sick to his stomach. He wanted nothing more than to stride in there, plant one fist into Guy's face, and steal Marian away into the night. If Djaq wasn't in trouble, he very well might have done just that, but he had a comrade trapped in there, and he wasn't going to leave without her.

Robin pulled out a small stone he had stored in his pocket and tossed it into the room so it landed, almost unnoticed, at Marian's feet. That was the signal. The gang moved closer to the door, just out of view of the guards who, thankfully, were faced inward, and surveyed the scene better. Is-haq had prominently positioned himself in the center of the room. Around him, four guards wearing only balloon pants and vests (so as to show off their extremely large muscles, Much commented in a whisper) stood at the ready to defend their master to the death. At his side, a willowy woman dressed in pink latched an arm through his and turned her small face upwards. Her face was covered in a veil, save for her dark eyes. Those peered across the room at Marian. Immediately, Robin figured things out.

Will was slightly slower in the uptake. He so urgently searched for his familiar Djaq that he didn't even think to comprehend the wisp of the woman that swayed beneath pink silk and gauze. Still, she was difficult to miss, a splash of pink among her dreary counterparts. Her stomach was bare, revealing dark flesh that whispered out through the sheer veil that covered from below her eyes all the way down to just below her hips. When Will caught sight of the green that seemed to pinpoint him in the shadows, he stopped breathing.

Djaq.

It was Djaq.

That exotic creature standing in the center of the room, draping herself casually over Is-haq's arm was his Djaq. Rage bubbled up in his stomach, colored by desire, and he started to stand, ready to charge into the room without thinking. Robin grabbed him quickly by the wrist and yanked him down to a crouch again. In a conversation spoken solely with glances, Will pleaded to go forward and save her, and Robin told him he knew what he was going through, but the timing just wasn't right. With a tilt of his head, Robin gestured for everyone to fall back behind the safety of the adjoining hallway. Once out of earshot, he spoke.

"Marian will distract the guards while Djaq lures Is-haq out into the hallway. We grab them and get out." Robin spoke in low tones so as not to attract attention. "Little John and Much, focus on the guards. Will, I want you to make sure Djaq gets out ok. I'll get Is-haq."

Will looked on the verge of protest on until Robin put him in charge of Djaq, then he settled back a moment. Still, his axe was gripped tightly in his hand, singing for blood. Robin knew the blade would soon drip red.

Immediately, the men fell into their positions. Marian began her distraction, feigning a faint as she leaned into the arms of one of the fellow party-goers. This attracted the attention of the guards, providing them with opportunity. Will stood in the shadows of the hallway, ready to facilitate Djaq's escape. Much and John were all ready to bust into the room, swords (or sticks) drawn and a-swinging. Robin, of course, had to make his grand entrance.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he strode easily into the room as Much and John incapacitated the guards at the door. The ladies gave out a small shriek, the men looked taken aback, and the Sheriff very quickly turned red in the face. "It appears we weren't on the guest list!"

Below him, Marian rolled her eyes at his ridiculously planned out line, but could not keep the grin off her face. Guy whipped out his sword, and darted to the front of the room to gallantly position himself between Robin and Marian, but got lost in the shuffle of people. Is-haq looked incredibly flustered and a little confounded at the newcomers. Djaq, on the other hand, played her part perfectly.

She looked up at him with feigned terror in her eyes, and gripped his arm. Just as she had planned, Is-haq took that as an excuse to appear the gallant hero in everyone's eyes.

"I must get my fiancé to safety!" he called out to the Sheriff, and scooped Djaq up off her feet. She looked over at Marian and rolled her eyes even as she clung to his neck in pretend fear. It was all an act, and she was playing her part beautifully. Robin was right. Everything was falling into place exactly how he had predicted.

Since Robin and the others had already cleared the stairs, Is-haq took that opportunity to make a bee-line for the door, surrounded by his flank of guards. Much gave out a rather feminine battle cry and dove at one of the guards, wrapping his arms around the guard's wide waist and attempting to knock him over. The man was, of course, built like an elephant, so this was a task more easily thought about than accomplished. After about three seconds of pushing, Much realized his plan was failing, and decided instead to simply take the hilt of his sword and clunk it hard against the guard's head. That had a much more desired effect. The man dropped. One down, three to go.

Will heard the commotion break out, and it maddened him that he couldn't see it, or be right in the action. The Sheriff and Guy were yelling, he could hear Allan trying to galvanize the guards. The sound of falling bodies fueled his veins, and the screaming women cut at his heart, though he knew none of them was Djaq. She wouldn't scream. If anything, she would plow her fist into his face and run away. Still, he worried, probably more than he should have. The shuffling grew closer to the stairs. Any second, he expected a streak of pink to breeze past him – he could only pray she wasn't still attached to Is-haq.

A large body fell out first – the body of one of Is-haq's guards. It was immediately followed by Little John, who climbed over the body, and took off down the hallway, only to be met at the corner by another group of guards. Apparently, the Sheriff had finally called in his troops. Their escape route was shrinking rapidly.

By the time Djaq did emerge from the door, she had managed to dislodge her arm from Is-haq's, but only because the latter was busy fighting Robin Hood, who had deftly backed him into the corner with the help of his own shining Saracen blade. With the guards distracted by Much and John, and Is-haq overwhelmed with Robin, Will took that time to snatch Djaq's hand in his own and yank her backwards. Startled, she swung an arm around and let out a loud scream. He ducked out of the way just in time. She took in who exactly it was that had a grip on her, and looked shocked.

"Will!" she cried out, but before she could stutter out her apology, Robin yelled "Go!" behind them, and Will tore off down the hallway. Is-haq let out a small scream of rage as his fiancé ran away from him, but he didn't dare lunge forward, lest he find himself impaled on Robin's blade.

Will and Djaq ran blindly down the corridor. At that point it wasn't so much about getting out as it was about getting away. The platoon of men behind them was good incentive to run as fast as they possibly good, and both of them were quick. Djaq felt incredibly free, although running with all that gauze covering her face was not helping at all, nor did the incredibly thin fabric that made up her slippers. Together, they darted down hallway after hallway, but the guards stayed hot on their heels. Will made a split decision that very well could have resulted in them getting caught, but it seemed the best plan at the time. He ducked behind an alcove and pulled Djaq in after him. She stood with her back pressed up against his chest. He had one hand cupping her mouth, silencing her. The other was pressed against her stomach. Through the thin fabric of the veil, he felt the heat of her bare stomach against him. Her breath came hard against his hand as she clung to the arms that held her on impulse to steady herself from the sudden shift.

Seconds dripped by. The tromp of guards' boots in the passage faded away into the background as Will became intensely aware of the woman in his arms. Her small body felt fragile and delicate, though he knew the heart that he felt beating rapidly was stronger than anything he'd seen. His hand released her mouth and unconsciously rested on her chest just above her breasts. They waited in silence, both listening to the sound of boots fading and trouble passing. Still, he didn't let go.

Djaq let herself lean against him momentarily, soaking up the intense heat that radiated out from his body. Around her, his arms were strong with only a hint of dominance and assurance. His breath came out in pants near her ear, stirring the short hair that curled behind it. Each labored breath sent a chill running down her spine and her eyelids fluttered closed at the unexpected feeling. A warm knot formed in her stomach as the muscles there twitched under his fingertips. It was foreign to her, and she wasn't entirely sure how to react to it, only that when he shifted his fingers slightly against her skin, the heat deepened and a gasp rose to her throat.

Will turned his head just slightly and buried his nose in her raven hair. Her scent filled him, making his head swim. It was a heady mixture of spices and sunshine, with a hint of rose scented soap she'd been forced to use by Is-haq. He dropped his head just a little, unconsciously nuzzling her neck as his brain spiraled out of control from the slow steady poison that was everything about her. A small gasp tore from her throat, followed by a hiss of pleasure as the tingles turned into raw heat that spiked down her body.

That noise drew Will back to reality. He misinterpreted it as fear, or discomfort and immediately released her, slipped out from between her and the stone wall. The absence of her heat against him left a chill over his skin that he tried very unsuccessfully to shake off.

"We're supposed to meet the others outside." He told her. "I think we've lost the guards." Will could barely hold her gaze, those green eyes that stared enchantingly out from the slit in her veil. It was too unnatural, too beautiful for him to stand. His mind had rapidly spiraled to places it was not supposed to go, and he couldn't risk scaring her, not when she'd been so upset about Is-haq. He just couldn't put her through that.

Djaq slipped back into battle mode almost seamlessly, mourning the loss of his fingers on her skin only inside, and only briefly. Once she was safe and alone in her bunk, she would dream of his skilled hands and make herself dizzy with the thought of his rough fingers exploring more than just her stomach. Now, however was a time to run, so she bolted after him just as she'd always done. Always after him.

o0O0o

_post a/n: thanks all who reviewed chapter one!! cookies and punch are available over there. -points- go r/r chapter 2, and we might roll out the cake!!_


	3. Chapter 3

o0O0o

Unfortunately, they did not get very far.

Allan, who had foreseen many of their escape routes, managed to catch up with Will and Djaq within moments. They were taken, kicking and fighting, the entire way down to the dungeons. They had each nearly escaped, but were unwilling to leave without the other. In the end, they were thrown in neighboring cells.

Allan gave them an apologetic look before striding out, Will and Djaq glaring after him. As the door swung shut behind him, the immediately crossed their respective cells to each other, holding hands through the bars and bringing the comfort only a familiar human being could bring.

At his touch, she burst into tears and crumpled to the floor. Will followed the best he could, but being on the other side of the bars, he couldn't hold her like he wanted too…. He just let her cry for a few moments, holding her hands and tracing small circles into her palms with his calloused thumbs.

The pink veils were choking and smothering now. Before, in the context of the Great Hall, he had thought them beautiful. They had transformed her into a work of art. But here, in the half light of the flickering torches, floor below all of that, he saw them for what they were- frivolous, impractical, and suffocating her. He reached up and pulled it away inexpertly. At this, she stopped crying and lifted her head in shock but also amusement.

"What, I didn't pull your hair, did I?"

She smiled through watery red eyes, "No, but the removal of a veil is the act of a husband on his wedding night."

Will blushed and ducked his head. She shifted closer.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I had no idea it was that…."

Intimate. She knew the word, but he didn't. She was too embarrassed to supply it for him. Because suddenly, it was _too_ intimate; the two of them, by themselves, in the dark. She, wearing clothes that she hadn't worn in years, and he, of all people (including Is-haq), had peeled the veil away. And though they were touching, there were obstacles, both figuratively and literally, that they would have to work through. Together.

He tried continuing, "It's just, they were… choking you."

"I know." He looked up again, meeting her eyes. "That is why I removed them before… after Djaq…died. I was only marrying Is-haq because my father could not keep me safe any longer, with the English coming…." Tears welled up, and she brushed them away impatiently. "Is-haq was the richest man we knew. I had no say in the matter. But when they died, I did not feel that Is-haq could protect me. So I became someone else. Someone who didn't need protecting."

Will listened silently, hands on her shoulders, his fingers tracing whimsical and comforting patterns on the silk. "Djaq, when I saw you tonight, with Is-haq, in that," he nodded toward the discarded veil, "I didn't even recognize you. Those clothes don't fit you anymore. You have become strong, and more beautiful than you realize. You don't need someone to protect you. You need someone to love you."

His words hung in the air, dancing with the dust in the torchlight, swirling around her and taking her breath away.

"Oh isn't that just the sweetest thing you've ever heard?" The Sheriff's voice broke off Will's impassioned speech. "Don't you agree, Guy?"

Next to him, Guy held his usual, somber demeanor.

"Yes." He said, completely deadpan.

Will immediately dropped his arms and backed away from the bars as if caught. If looks could kill, the Sheriff would most certainly have two smoking holes in his face, but as it was, he remained standing, gloating outside the cell.

"Love the outfit." The Sheriff smirked at Djaq. She screamed and lunged forward at the bars, gripping them tightly with both hands. To her secret satisfaction, he jumped back a bit, startled by her violence.

"Now now. Is that any way to treat your beloved sheriff?" Then the smirk on his face morphed into a dark grin. "A clue: no. Bring him." One bony finger jutted out at Will, and two guards materialized out of the shadows, swords drawn. The anger on Djaq's face morphed into fear.

"No." She whispered. "No. No. No." Her voice grew steadily louder. Will kicked up a fight the moment the guards entered his cell, arms lashing out violently despite the threat of cold steel. They managed to subdue him in a matter of seconds, knocking him in the back of the head with the hilt of their sword. He sagged earthward, unconscious, and the guards grunted under the shift in weight. Djaq screamed and pounded on the bars, tears of rage and helplessness streaming down her cheeks.

"Don't worry," the Sheriff grinned at her pain. "You two are being used for ransom to get back your Saracen boyfriend! We won't damage him." And then, with a wicked grin, he added, "too much."

Her screams echoed all the way up the steps to where Marian stood, biting her lip. If she interfered, she would only get her friends in more trouble. Hearing Djaq's pain ripped at her heart. Marian turned on one slipper and took off down the hall. She couldn't do anything, but perhaps Robin would have a better idea. The cold night air whipped her in the face as she slipped, unseen, out the back gate and took off down the road towards the hut nearby. There, she could steal a horse and be to the camp in short time.

o0O0o

Djaq heard every scream that ripped from Will. Even as she sat in the corner with her hands clamped tightly over her ears, the strangled, agonizing screams filled her brain until it was all she could process. The specific questions the Sheriff was asking were lost to the background noise of the dungeon, but she could guess. Where is your camp? Where is Robin Hood? What is Hood planning next? He wouldn't crack. That she knew, already. Allan cracked under duress of torture, but Will was stronger. Will would outlast the pain and insults. She was terrified he would return with broken eyes. The bars that separated them were an immovable obstacle that she wished so much to rip apart.

"Djaq," a voice whispered her name. Out of the shadows stepped Allan.

"Allan," she countered with a nod. Her gut reaction was to snub him. After all, he_was_ standing idly by while Will was being tortured in the next room, not to mention he wasn't setting them free.

"You look nice." He kept his distance, though she could tell by the way he inched forward and glanced nervously down the stairwell to where Will's screams issued from that he would eventually come closer.

With those words, Djaq found herself with a choice. It was true, one look at Allan brought up not only anger but pain from his betrayal. If she could put it behind her, though, and make him _believe_ it was in the past, perhaps…

"So do you." She gave him a small smile. "Black suits you."

The positive spin on his ego made him perk up.

"You think so?" he asked, moving ever closet to the bars.

What did her plan consist of, she asked herself as she pushed herself off the floor to meet him at the bars. Knock him unconscious and hope he had a set of keys on him? Flirt her way out of her cell? Plead with him to free them? The third one was out. It wouldn't work. As much as she knew he desired her, he desired money more. Still, perhaps if she promised him things, things only a woman could offer, it might bend his mind enough to slip up and make a mistake. One shot, that's all she needed.

"Yes, much better than the green." She tried not to choke on her own words.

Another of Will's screams flooded the dungeon, distorted by the open stone chambers.

o0O0o

Marian urged her stolen steed down the moonlit path towards Robin's camp. Robin observed her hasty approach and slipped wraith-like out of the foliage. The horse reared up at his sudden appearance, Marian kept her seat, and both spoke soothing words to the animal. Finally, it calmed enough for Marian to dismount.

"What is wrong?" he asked her.

"The sheriff has Djaq and Will, he is torturing him, and Djaq can hear everything. The sheriff is holding them in exchange for Is-haq." She paused, swallowing. "Where is he?"

Robin gestured in the general direction of the camp. "Little John tied him up. I do not like this. The sheriff is not known to be a man of his word."

"An understatement."

Robin grunted his agreement, stroking the horse, as if that would give him an idea.

"Allan knows everything. Everything. I wish you would have let me kill him."

She sighed.

So did he, "I think we are going to have to play the sheriff's game on this one. One life in exchange for two."

"And if the sheriff decides to cross you?"

"Well I'm not going to agree to do it in Nottingham Castle. It will have to be outside the walls or something… do you think the Nightwatchman can deliver a message?"

"Guy burned my Night Watchman things."

"Well you don't have to be seen, just sign it."

"I suppose."

"Good." They made their way into the camp.

o0O0o

It didn't work. Her plan failed. Djaq sat on the cold stone floor of her cell with her legs pulled tight against her chest, rocking back and forth like she used to when she was a girl. Her body trembled, desperate to cry, but no tears would come. A half an hour had passed since the guards took Will, unconscious, from his cell. She found she just could not even attempt flirtation with the man who… with Will so close and in so much pain. Allan caught on to the fact that she was faking it early on, and stormed off with his eyes rolling, muttering suggestions under his breath.

Now she was alone and starting to freeze. Her pink getup offered her no protection from the cold. For once, she found herself wishing for her bed back at camp._Anything_ was better than where she was. A few cells over, a scraggly man, hunched over even while he stood at his full height, was gawking at her with no remorse. His hand was down his pants, pumping furiously and his tongue lolled awkwardly from between chipped teeth. When he caught her looking, he grinned and made a kissing motion, but his fist never stopped moving. The guard at the stairwell paid him no mind, but kept his gaze focused on the door through which they took Will as if her friend's screams of pain were Saturday evening entertainment.

"This is pointless." The Sheriff's annoyed voice came closer and closer until his scrawny little face rounded the corner. Guy was right behind him. Neither of them afforded Djaq a passing glance as they moved like a storm cloud, blustering up the stairs and out of sight. A few moments later, Allan appeared, and the two guards behind him, carrying Will. Djaq was on her feet in an instant.

"Put him in with the female." Allan gestured to her cell. She looked up at him, surprised. He just stared at her for a long, hard moment, his blue eyes unwavering. She gave him a small smile that was entirely made up of gratitude. He didn't return it, but turned and walked out of the jail without another word, his face stony.

Will's body hit the floor with a loud _thunk_ as the two guards dumped him unceremoniously into Djaq's cell. Blood leaked from a cut on his head and from the corners of his mouth. A series of smaller cuts riddle his arms and hands. As night shifted to day, black and blue welts would start to appear, but for now his skin remained only red from the beatings.

"Can you hear me?" she dropped to her knees in front of his body and took his head into her lap. "Will?" The physician in her took over.

His eyes rolled around wildly in their sockets for a long moment as he attempted to focus on the source of her voice. When finally his fuzzy brain was able to pinpoint her face, a small smile crept onto his cracked and bleeding lips. He started to lift a hand to reach up and touch her face, but he didn't have the strength. The arm fell limply across his chest. Djaq grabbed it with her free hand and gripped his raw flesh tightly.

Tears came then, hot diamonds that slid rapidly down her cheeks and fell onto his face.

"I am so sorry," she whispered into the silence. "I am so sorry Will."

Djaq shifted so that she was leaning against a wall, with his head still cradled gently in her lap. Though he hardly had strength enough to even keep his eyelids open, he squeezed her hand tightly.

There were no words to express the worry that she'd drown in for the past half an hour. He couldn't summon up the strength to speak, so instead, he released her hand for a moment, then laced his fingers through hers. He settled as comfortably as he could into her lap, and allowed himself to relax. She would watch over him, he knew.

His beautiful fighting angel.

No matter what happened when the sun slid across Nottingham, signaling daybreak, he had her small hand in his for the night. Nothing else really mattered.

o0O0o

Marian sat at her dressing table, gazing past her reflection in the mirror. Her hands were going through the motions of her nightly hundred brush strokes, but her mind was still in Sherwood Forest.

Guy stormed in, startling her, and yelling her name.

"What is this?" he asked dangerously.

Marian didn't even have to act, so much as react. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. "What is what?"

He threw down a piece of paper that only moments before the sheriff had discovered. "The sheriff found this in his chambers. READ IT!!"

Marian, shaking, picked it up. She read it, purposefully stumbling over the words. "Vai… Vai… Vaisey… the…pri.. pris-"

Guy snatched it back. Guy did not know whether or not she could read. The fact that she all but "proved" she couldn't, would already shift his suspicion away from her.

"It is signed 'the Nightwatchman.'"

"Guy, the Nightwatchman is gone. I would never-"

He silenced her with a wave of his hand. He was confused now. Marian just had to keep him off balance.

"What does it say?" she tried to remain curious, but without being suspicious.

"In effect, that Robin Hood agrees to the prisoner exchange, only if the guard numbers are equally matched, that is, the sheriff, the prisoners, and two guards. Robin Hood will also be down to two men."

"So what does the Sheriff plan to do?" She picked up her brush again, to give her an illusion of nonchalance. She counted the strokes under her breath.

Guy drew up behind her, as close as he dared. "He plans on agreeing to Hood's terms, I am to come along, but the Sheriff does not count me as a guard; Hood will be gaining back two of his men."

Marian nodded brightly, "Clever idea, Sir Guy. You will be evenly matched."

"No, the Sheriff will be towards an advantage. I am a better fighter than Hood."

Marian nodded her agreement, and continued quietly brushing her dark hair, "89, 90, 91, 92, 93…."

He watched, distracted from his fury by her hypnotizing comb through her beautiful tresses. After seven more strokes, Marian turned around and yawned loudly. "If you will excuse me, Sir Guy, I am tired. Today has been very trying."

"Shall I remain outside your door? For your own safety?"

She paused, thinking of what to say to get him to go without offending him. "No, thank you, Sir Guy. You will need to sleep tonight. Besides, I have no fear of Robin Hood tonight, he will be in his forest, plotting."

He bowed, ever chivalrous, but with a dreadfully _unchivalrous_ gleam in his eye, and quitted the room. Marian silently bolted the door after him. Back at her dressing table, she drew the ring that Robin gave her out of the secret compartment in the very back of the drawer. She kissed it, slid it onto her finger, and crawled into her bed. Everything was going according to plan, she thought, blowing out her candle.

_o0O0o_

_AN; We know Marian could read. She proved it in 2X04. Pretend it didn't happen, okay? Otherwise it wouldn't have worked._

_another a/n chapter 3 is done!! one more chapter to go, guys. review lots, and maybe we'll post it faster!! _


	4. Chapter 4

_and now, the final chapter..._

o0O0o

The morning air held a mist that seemed too ominous to be normal. Dawn leaked in slowly, and the night's chill remained behind. Robin kept his gang out in the open this time as he perched on a rock to await the arrival of the Sheriff's party.

Is-haq had kicked up quite a fuss the first few hours of his capture, but he remained silent then, and looked almost annoyed behind his gag. Little John stayed down with one large hand on the bound man. He didn't look too pleased himself.

"Oh, what's taking them so long?" Much sighed and crossed his arms. "_We've_ gotten here faster on foot!"

Robin smirked, but kept a steady gaze on the surrounding trees. Slowly, the crunch of leaves and noise of wheels through dirt sifted through the growth.

"Hood!" The Sheriff's voice was the first that broke through the silence. "I've got a little something for you!"

As the cart rolled into view, the entire gang stiffened up. Is-haq attempted to struggle a bit in his excitement at soon being free, but was quickly subdued by Little John. As the cart rolled into view, Robin's eyes were immediately drawn not to the pompous man in the driver's seat, but the two people bound and gagged, tied together in the back. Djaq had shed the headdress, and the pink of her outfit had acquired several stains after her long night in the dungeon, but she looked otherwise unharmed. Will, on the other hand, sported a variety of cuts and bruises across his face and neck.

"Alive, just as I promised." The sheriff continued as he pulled the carriage to a halt. Guy and Allan were perched next to him; Guy, as always, was looking with loathing in Robin's direction. Allan simply looked uncomfortable. Next to Djaq and Will sat a guard. The tin-covered man hoisted the prisoners to their feet and herded them out the back of the cart. This was accomplished slowly, as they were bound together, but with a great deal of shuffling and prodding, the two were successfully on the ground, though still held by the guard.

"And here's your man," Robin responded accordingly out of unspoken tradition. "Shall we release them on three?"

The Sheriff nodded, and began to climb down from his shabby throne – his two followers quickly copied his example. As soon as everyone was on the ground, the tension level spiked. Robin's hand unconsciously tightened on his bow. Much's eyes darted anxiously from Robin to the enemy, and his fingers danced a jig across the hilt of his sword. John merely stood as he always did, solid as a stone, without flinching. Robin counted off.

"One." There was no doubt in Robin's mind that the scales were about to become unbalanced once again, but so far nothing seemed off in the dealings. Was it possible the trade off would go smoothly?

"Two." Will felt Djaq go rigid behind him. The muscles of her small body tightened in preparation for battle. He was still weary to the bone from last night's spectacular beating, but as her fingers wrapped briefly around his in reassurance, it wouldn't have mattered if he'd been killed last night. He would still fight by her side.

"Three." The world hovered in a breathless bubble for seconds before chaos broke. Both parties shoved their prisoners forward at the same time. Is-haq sputtered indignantly behind his gag as he tripped on a tree root and tumbled to the ground at the sheriff's feet. Will and Djaq stayed upright despite their awkward position. Much rushed out immediately to cut the ties that bound them at the wrists and waists. It was about that time that the second guard materialized.

"Look out!" Little John shouted, and reached his long arms out, snagging Much by the collar and yanking him backwards just as an arrow whizzed through the spot where his head used to be and lodged itself into a nearby tree. Much's face froze in fear as he stared hard at the arrow. His gaze swiveled to the man who shot it, a guard who had been hiding underneath the cart, and back to the arrow again. Then he let out a rather undignified scream, and charged forward with his sword. Hell, which had very patiently been waiting at the gates until that point, broke loose.

Guy immediately sprang into action, making his target Robin as usual. Robin was ever ready, and the sound of clashing steel vibrated through the mist. The fight was an unfair one, Robin knew, but it wasn't the first time they'd gone up against more than their equal in numbers. Little John took it upon himself to free Will and Djaq, who were already struggling with their bonds, itching to fight. Realizing that they had no weapons, Will turned to him with a slightly look of question. John only smiled, and drew out an axe and a spare sword from beneath the folds of his gigantic coat. Djaq released a very undignified squeal of joy as she grasped for the first time in as many hours a weapon – a real weapon she could use to fight the enemy that had held her captive, and humiliated her.

"Thought you might be needing this." John said as he tossed the axe to Will.

In truth, Will felt he hardly had the energy to stand, much less fight off the men that were currently skirmishing a few feet away, but the familiar weight and texture of the axe in his hand did wonders. He wouldn't be fighting at his peak, but he would last, he knew. Besides, he thought as he trained his gaze on Is-haq, who was clumsily being released from his bonds by Allan, he had a score to settle.

Despite being a great man of wealth and power back in the Holy land, Is-haq, it turned out, was not very good with a sword. He knew basic moves, to be sure, but compared to the skilled grace with which the gang wielded their weapons, he looked a novice. Still, he managed to scream enough to intimidate everyone initially. It wasn't until he swung his sword and nearly hit Guy that Will knew his task would be executed smoothly.

The sheriff watched the whole affair from his hiding spot behind the wagon. He knew he was in no danger of being attacked, not since Prince John's favorable decree, but at the same time his old habit of hiding when the going got rough was too strong to resist. As long as it wasn't his pretty little neck on the line, he didn't mind watching the carnage. This time, however, the carnage wasn't working in his favor. He watched, sputtering, as Will stumbled over to where Is-haq was madly brandishing his sword at anything that moved. The pale English boy looked barely able to stand, but there was a fiery anger in his brown eyes that the sheriff could spot even from back there.

"This is for Djaq," Will whispered the words fiercely and with one deft swing he lodged his axe deep in the flesh of Is-haq's face. The entire forest stood still. Even the guard, who seemed to be more metal than brains, was shocked enough to put down his sword and stare at the Saracen man as he crumpled slowly to his knees, and fell sideways to the dirt. Blood gushed from the deep gash, obscuring the stunned look that was captured forever on his face.

Will let out a small laugh as he stumbled backwards. He would have fallen if it hadn't been for Little John, who caught him and kept him upright.

"NO!" The sheriff called out, and beat a fist furiously against the cart. "No! No! No!"

No one heard his cries. All eyes swung around to Djaq, who had become unusually pale and moved quietly towards the body on the ground. Robin studied her face carefully, unsure of her reaction. She pressed a hand against her bare stomach for a moment as she stared hard down at the remains of the man who had haunted her past for so long. Then, with great finality, she spit down on his body. A final present for the afterlife, she thought as she smirked. Then she turned, and simply walked away. She no longer cared about the battle, or reigning vengeance down upon the sheriff and his men. Is-haq was dead, and for the first time in a long time, she felt satisfied.

o0O0o

The battle ended with the sheriff's retreat, dragging Is-haq's bloody body into the cart. The gang, after sending the villains off with their tails between their legs, withdrew into the shadows of Sherwood back to their camp. Will promptly fell into his cot and into a deep sleep. Yet after two hours, Djaq still had not returned from wherever she had gone during the battle. The gang was beginning to worry.

It was nearly dark when Will woke up. The hours of uninterrupted sleep had done wonders for his injuries. He sat up slowly and looked around, taking in the worried faces of his fellow outlaws.

"Where's Djaq?"

"She hasn't returned yet," Robin said. "We were waiting for you to wake up before going out to look for her."

"No need," said Will, getting to his feet. "I think I know where she is." He reached for his blanket and left the camp in the gathering dusk.

His trip through the trees was tried and true; many times Djaq had escaped the camp along this very trail to the small stream where Will Scarlet had first discovered her feminine secret. She went there to think, to bathe in the cool water, to pray, or just to escape the life she now led.

Will wasn't paying attention to where his feet were leading him, and his arrival at the stream was nearly heralded by him falling off the bank into the shallow water. Regaining his balance, he noticed the remains of the pink costume that Djaq had shed, bright feathers on the rocks. He looked towards the water and saw her floating on her back, the water lapping gently against her dark skin.

The sun dappled down on her naked body, and he was entranced. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a dull voice that he hardly registered, spoke of their previous incident by the river, and of the painful branch that had driven into his face as a result. He would endure a thousand branches to the nose, he realized, for the chance to see her as she was, completely at peace and relaxed. Only in the aftermath of such a harrowing event could she come into her own. He hated to disturb her, but at the same time, he felt like such a peeping Tom, watching her bathe without at least announcing his presence. Normally, he would have immediately turned away, as he had the first time, a blush staining his cheeks, but it didn't seem to matter anymore.

He'd seen her emotionally naked as she hovered above him in the cell, her small hand grasped in his. As her tears fell to his face, and he felt her sheer terror over his well being, he saw her stripped bare before him, and thought her all the more beautiful for it.

"Djaq," he called out her name as he leaned against a nearby tree. Startled, she began to struggle. Her body floundered in the water, and she covered as much of her body in water as she could. She managed to sit down with the water rising just above her breasts, but still she pulled her knees close to her chest for protection. The look on her face indicated the thorough tongue-lashing he was about to receive, but surprisingly, she saw him and stopped. Instead, she just smiled.

"Will," she said, "how are you feeling?"

"Much better," he smiled. "Thank you."

With slow deliberation, he untied the kerchief from around his neck and, walking to the water's edge, dipped it in. The cool water was heaven as he pressed it to his face. Tender spots still remained from his vicious beatings courtesy of Guy, and they were undoubtedly swelling to a beautiful purple color. Even as he dabbed gently, he couldn't help but wince.

"Here, let me." She pushed herself forward, self consciousness forgotten, and went to grab the kerchief from his hand. Her skillful fingers dipped the cloth into the water, and as she took his chin in one hand, she touched the cloth gently to his cheek with the other. "You never were very good at this."

It all became too much for him to handle, too much for him to hold back. Her small naked body just inches from his, her delicate hands touching him gently – and still the delirium from sleep hung over him. The setting sun that kissed her skin made it glow just a little too much, and the glistening water droplets that fell from her hair had him far too hypnotized. With a trembling hand, he reached out and ran his fingers up her bare, wet arm. Beneath his touch, her skin felt like silk.

She froze up immediately.

"Wha…" she managed to squeak out before his fingers traced a line across her breastbone and his hand cupped her neck gently. Though her whole body lay naked before him, his gaze was focused only on her face – on the reactions her eyes made. It fascinated him, thrilled him to see the color and emotion shift, just as the feel of her skin became like a drug.

Will wanted to speak. He wanted to tell her how extraordinarily beautiful she looked, how she tore him up inside. How the way she had watched over him in the sheriff's dungeons had touched him beyond measure. How he wanted to rip Is-haq's eyeballs out of their sockets for even looking at her as he had. The words simply wouldn't come. They were trapped behind lips that could do nothing but kiss hers.

Slowly, tentatively, he drew her face towards his. His thumb stroked slowly across the back of her neck to ease away her tension and fear. He barely caught her eyelids flutter shut as he crossed the final millimeters and captured her lips.

Water and sunshine and Djaq. That's what she tasted of. She trembled beneath his fingers, and her lips were unsure but he couldn't stop kissing her, not now. Not ever.

Djaq had no idea how to react. The moment Will's fingers touched her skin, she found herself entirely unable to move. As he got higher, closer to her neck her brain almost shut down with the tingles that shot through her entire body, but most specifically to a certain area she really didn't think about much. What she didn't understand though was his eyes. Those incredible brown eyes that she couldn't look away from. She should have been embarrassed, tried to hide her nakedness or shied away from his touch, but she was entirely entranced by his intense gaze. When his thumb began tracing light circles on the back of her neck, she lost all sense of time and space, and found herself focused solely on that feeling. He kissed her and she nearly collapsed. If he hadn't brought up his other hand to hold her face and run his fingers through her wet black hair, she very well may have toppled over right there. Up was down, in was out and light and sound were plunged into a silken blackness that wrapped around her heart.

It was perfection.

Up until that moment, her hands had hovered, clutching the kerchief, between their bodies. Now she clutched at his shirt. She didn't understand this urgency within her to touch him, be close to him, for she had only encountered such emotions and concepts in stories or chatter, so she reacted entirely on instinct.

He deepened the kiss just slightly, and was delighted to feel her body react beneath his fingers. She swayed slightly into him as her lips reacted to his, moving and shifting until she lost all sense of where she stopped and he began. This beautiful, intoxicating and endless moment faded only slightly when he pulled away. He rested his forehead against hers, still holding her face, and just grinned.

Djaq smiled back, but then a look of casual selflessness crossed her face. She realized what Will already knew, that she was naked. But as she wrapped herself in the blanket her brought her, she realized that she was always naked in front of him. He had a way of seeing right through whatever mask she was hiding behind. Intimacy, like in the dungeons. And that she loved him for it.

She took his arm and they made their way through the nightfall back to camp, leaving the pink shreds of her old life behind them.

_a/n- well campers, thats all for our lovely fanfic. Hope you enjoyed it!! Remember to leave reviews. Gifts would not go unwelcome. Love!_


End file.
